My favorite season is officially here! Today is the first day of Fall and I’ve been so excited for it this year.

There’s something about the sweater weather and the warm color palette of the changing leaves that gives me ultimate coziness.

However, even with this being my favorite season I’ll more than likely get S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder A.K.A. seasonal depression) around this time of year.

I think it may be the fact that it gets colder so I’m prone to stay inside more than usual and therefore I’m cut off from more social aspects (well, more than usual).

That being said, there are some things this year (and the years to come) that I’d love to do during the fall season to get out and stay out more.

Apple Picking

Apple picking is such a fun way to spend a day out in the autumn air, especially if you like apples. Personally, I like making Apple Cobbler and Apple Cider around this time so it’d be great to use apples from a local orchard that I picked myself.

I didn’t get to go berry or peach picking this spring or summer but I am fitting apple picking in my schedule. I plan on going apple (and flower) picking in a few weeks so I’ll be posting about that soon!

Here’s are some orchards I’ve looked at in Georgia (all in Ellijay, GA):

• B.J. Reece Orchards – They have apple picking from August 26^th-October 29^th.  They also have fun activities like a petting farm, corn maze scavenger hunts, and wagon rides. It’s $13 for a general admission and $10 for a separate ½ peck U-Pick bag. They have a market that’s opened year-round as well (I personally want to try their apple cider donuts). 
• R&A Orchards – This orchard has apple AND flower picking in September and October on the weekends. It’s a $5 admission which includes a tractor ride through the orchard. They have a $10 bag or $20 bag to pick apples. For flower picking its $14.

• Hillcrest Orchards – They’re apple picking is in September and October. They seem to have a lot of activities. There’s something called “Apple Pickin’ Jubilee” on the weekends which $18 and you’ll purchase a U-Pic bag to pick apple anytime during the day.  You can even add apples from their market to your bag.

Honorable Mention

• Panorama Orchards and Market – While it doesn’t look like you can actually pick the apples here, the market has fresh apples to buy as well as other fresh fruits, pies, ice cream and so on. Sounds delicious!

Hay Rides in a Pumpkin Patch

Along the same lines of apple picking, visiting a pumpkin patch is something that seems like such a fall things to do. It’s especially fun for kids.

You can pick pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns, use the insides to roast pumpkin seeds, make pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin muffins, cake rolls, even pumpkin spice sauce for your coffee and ice cream.

Nature Walk or Hike

As you may have read in my last post, I’ve been hiking recently and have always enjoyed a good walk. A nature walk is the fall is a perfect time to do it! The weather is great and the leaves changing and falling are great picturesque opportunities.

Candlelight Concert

The Candlelight Concert Experience is when an orchestra will play scores from films or instrumental covers of certain artists amongst a sea of lit candles.

They’re held throughout the year but for some reason going to one in fall feels especially comforting. The warm glow coming from the candles is matches the cozy vibes of fall so well. You can check out their website to see if there are any in your area.

Fall Travels

This blog is mainly focused on travel so here are some things I’d like to do travel-wise in the fall one day.

Going to Stonehenge for the Autumn Equinox

At Stonehenge, a pre-historic monument of stones, people quiet literally celebrate the beginning of fall and the autumn equinox. Some for religious or high-power purposes, others for the experience. I’d love to watch the sunrise on that day (which would actually be to today, September 23^rd usually) and be a part of that celebration. It’s be a unique way to bring in my favorite season.

Going to Niagara Falls

Going to Niagara Falls has been on my bucket list for the longest time. While the summer is a great time to visit, fall just seems like a beautiful time to see the falls (no pun intended). Leaves and trees along the side the water would be so beautiful to see in person! On top of that, there’s a good chance there’d be less people because families would be working while kids are in deep in school.

Taking a Hot Air Balloon Ride

You probably understand by now that my favorite thing about fall is the color scheme of the leaves. Blue is my favorite color but the oranges, reds, browns, and yellows of fall bring me a sort of calm. Seeing them from a different angle, up above in a hot air balloon, would be such a blast.

Honestly, if I think about it too much, the idea of being in a floating bucket with no seat belt terrifies. Hopefully, doing it in the fall and look at the scenery would take my mind of the terror. I don’t necessarily have to travel far for this but doing it somewhere like Tennessee or even Arizona would be a great experience.

Camping (or “Glamping”)

I’ll be honest with you, having no plumbing and sleeping on the ground sounds awful which is why I’ve never been too excited to go camping. But give me a cute, little, cozy cabin with a kitchen and I’m for it. Am I doing it for the aesthetic? Absolutely, but I could still use that camping time to disconnect from the world, read a good book, or maybe even write some fiction work which I haven’t done in a while.

Doing it the fall would be the perfect time because it wouldn’t too hot or too cold (so I don’t have to worry about A/C or making sure there’s a really good heating system.

Some of you might be saying, “Well, what about haunted houses or watching horror films?” and to that I say, “Absolutely not.” I don’t like being scared and am not a fan of horror-involved things. It’s the one thing I dislike about fall.

What do you like to do during the fall months? What are you not so fond of about fall? Let me know in the comments.